Hawthorne's Noise Regulations make it unlawful to operate aircraft or engines within or above the city in violation of the chapter, but in-flight aircraft noise is federally preempted by the FAA (Burbank v. Lockheed). The city's main tool is the FAA-approved Hawthorne Municipal Airport Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program (December 2017). Adjacent LAX is governed by FAA, not city code.
Hawthorne's re-enacted Noise Regulations chapter (Ordinance No. 2138) contains an Aircraft section stating it is unlawful for any person to operate aircraft or aircraft engines within or above the City of Hawthorne in violation of the provisions of the chapter. In practice, the city's authority over aircraft noise is sharply limited by federal preemption: under the Federal Aviation Act and Noise Control Act, and the Supreme Court's decision in City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal (1973), local governments generally cannot regulate aircraft operations, routes, schedules, or in-flight noise. The ordinance itself acknowledges this in its Government Preempted Activities exemption, which states the chapter does not apply to any activity to the extent regulation has been preempted by federal, state, or local law. The meaningful avenue for the city is its role as proprietor of Hawthorne Municipal Airport (Jack Northrop Field): the FAA approved the airport's Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program in December 2017, adopting all of its recommendations. Hawthorne also sits adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), but LAX noise is administered by the FAA and Los Angeles World Airports, not by the Hawthorne Municipal Code.
Ground-based aircraft-engine noise that is not federally preempted can be addressed under the Hawthorne Municipal Code. In-flight aircraft noise complaints generally fall to the FAA and the relevant airport operator (Hawthorne Municipal Airport for local operations, FAA/LAWA for LAX); the city's role is largely through its FAA-approved Part 150 noise program.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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